A staff member for Abbott said racist, threatening and sexist tweets are an everyday occurrence.

A Conservative councillor has been suspended from the party after he commented on a tweet which likened Labour MP Diane Abbott to an ape.

Alan Pearmain, the deputy chairman of the South Ribble Conservative Association and a Farington Parish Councillor in Lancashire, commented on the racist picture in December, which depicted Abbott as an ape wearing lipstick.

He said: "Nice lips kid. But a shade too much rouge," in response to the tweet, which was then spotted by a Labour councillor.

The councillor then reported it to national Labour Party's offices as well as to Abbott's team, who have since reported the matter to London Metropolitan Police.

A local Conservative Party spokesman confirmed Pearmain had been suspended from the party on Thursday (9 February).

In a statement, the spokesman said: "His comments are completely unacceptable and he has been suspended from the party, pending an investigation."

The staff member criticised the police for failing to act on a series of previous complaints over death and rape threats despite "growing concern for [Abbott's] safety".

"In fact our office has reported many that are either racist, sexist, threatening or all three. Not once, not ever, has there been some sort of result, or have we been told that anyone has been reprimanded," she wrote.

"I find this confusing and concerning as the offender has often provided an email address and sometimes even a postal address."

A spokeswoman for the Met police said they had received eight allegations from Abbott's office since 2015 "in the main of malicious communications".

"All of the allegations have been recorded, assessed and investigated. The complainant, or representatives, have been briefed on the outcome of every allegation looked at by the MPS at the conclusion of our work.

"Security assessments are offered to all members of parliament – both for home and work addresses – and are optional as to whether or not the advice is taken up."